WEIGHT LOSS AND PURIFICATION PROGRAM

A GUIDE FOR PATIENTS

You and your health care professional will determine which of the following purification programs is right for you, along with discussing the importance of following all of the guidelines in your recommended program. By completely dedicating yourself to your program, you will maximize your results.  Throughout the course of the next thirty to sixty days, you will spend time reflecting about your life, evaluating your work and home environments, and thinking about your relationships with others.  Upon completing this program, you will be truly rewarded, as you will have learned more about your body and what it needs.  Congratulations on taking these steps to better health.

Environmental Toxins Surround Us

The tremendous exposure to toxins in our modern world has become a fact of life.  Without detoxification, these toxins place a burden upon our organs and overload our bodies, often leaving us in a state of high reactivity to the foods we eat and drink.  Some people experience a strong, acute allergic reaction to foods while others may experience reactions to foods that are less obvious and can be more chronic in nature.  We may be completely unaware that we are sensitive to certain foods.  Reactions including headaches, abdominal pain, mood swings, or changes in bowel habits may be remedied by identifying the cause, eliminating the irritant, and improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.  For whatever biological reason, we may have less of an intestinal tolerance for certain types of foods, and over time, this may tax our detoxification mechanisms and affect our ability to maintain or obtain optimal digestive function.  By following your recommended program, you will help your body free itself from the toxins that it has absorbed.

Benefits of tour Program:

Upon the completion of your program, you may feel:

• More energetic
• Greater health
• Increased vitality
• Clarity of thought and improved concentration
• A greater sense of control over your mind and body
• Calmer and more at ease.

You may also experience the following physical changes:

• Fewer reactions to the foods you eat
• Improved digestion
• Better health
• Clearer and more vibrantly colored skin
• Weight loss

Reconnect

Going through a detoxification program definitely impacts your physical health, but as an added benefit, it also provides you with the opportunity to “clear out” some of the mental and emotional “stuff” that may be slowing you down.  By supporting your body with key nutrients during purification, you will likely find that your thoughts are clearer and you are better able to handle stress.  This transformation welcomes the opportunity to look at and release any excess baggage that may be keeping your from feeling optimal health.  Take a walk with an old friend and share your thoughts, experiences, and feelings with him or her.  Keep a journal and write down what you are feeling.  Talk to a health care professional that you trust.  Do whatever you feel comfortable and safe doing that will facilitate your emotional, mental and even spiritual transformation.

While you may have heard them all before, the following recommendations are an investment in your good health and longevity.  They will give you total control of your basic health care needs and will help you change your habits for life.

Find an activity you enjoy and do it for 20 minutes each day.

Give your mind a rest; find a hobby, read, listen to music, or do whatever reduces stress for you and helps you reverse negative energy.

Drink at least 8 full glasses of clean water every day – or – use the following rule: 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day (100 pounds – 50 ounces of water).

Take natural, whole food supplements.

Get enough sleep – most people require eight hours per night of sleep in order to feel physically refreshed and mentally sharp each day.

Purification Products

While on this program, your health care professional will recommend that you take SP Cleanse™, SP Complete™, and Gastro-Fiber™.  These products are designed specifically for this program.  Here is a brief description of the products.

SP Cleanse™

SP Cleanse™ enlists the detoxifying properties of over 20 different whole foods and botanicals in this complete vegetarian nutrition supplement.  The phytonutrients from these multiple ingredients help the body eliminate toxins that originate in the environment, as well as metabolic toxins that are given off internally.  The vitamin complexes, minerals, and phytonutrients in SP Cleanse™ support the body’s internal waste-removal systems to encourage healthy kidney function, help maintain healthy blood, support lymphatic system function, promote efficient gastrointestinal elimination, and maintain healthy liver detoxification function.*

SP Complete™

SP Complete™ is a whole food and botanical supplement that mixes with water to make a nutritious supplement shake – completely portable for today’s busy schedules.  It offers a balance of essential macro- and micronutrients from plant sources in a high bioavailable form.  The natural whole food and botanical ingredients used to formulate SP Complete™ support healthy cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous system function and deliver powerful antioxidant protection to promote cellular health.  Whether taken alone or before meals, a supplement shake made with SP Complete™ provides essential vitamins and minerals to the body during purification.  In addition, SP Complete™ can be used outside of the purification program to replace vital nutrients often lost during the refining process of many of the foods we buy.*

Gastro-Fiber™

Dietary fiber comes from the cellular walls of plants and has specific effects on different areas of gastrointestinal function.  Gastro-Fiber™ contains phytonutrients from five different whole foods and botanicals that function synergistically to help cleanse and lubricate the intestines, encourage regular elimination, promote pH balance throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and provide an optimal environment for the natural growth of “friendly” intestinal bacteria.*

Clinical Purification™ Programs

At the Acupuncture and Weight Loss Centers of Florida, we realize that every person is in a different place in his or her level of personal fitness and each person has different goals.  That is why we provide you with different programs to choose from.  By working with your health care professional, together you will determine which program is best for you.  Here is a brief introduction to the three purification programs which are outline in detail below.

How May You Feel During and After Purification

Research shows that cleansing and purification programs can have a significant, positive effect on the biochemistry of your body while allowing harmful toxins and byproducts of daily metabolism to be eliminated.  The whole food complexes you will be taking are easy for your body to digest and give your body a chance to get back into stronger form.

During the process, it is possible you may not feel the best.  Although these effects are often experienced for short durations, it is important for you to be aware of the possibility that you may experience headaches, unusual bowel movements, a coated tongue, spots, rashes or pimples, unusual body odor and bad breath, and fatigue.  These symptoms can be relieved by ingesting SP Complete™ nutritional supplement shakes, doing enemas, or drinking more fluids.

During purification, it is also common to feel increased energy, better digestion and less bloating, clearer skin, shinier hair, and the disappearance of old problems and symptoms like headaches, PMS, digestive problems, and general aches and pains.  Purification can sometimes even lift your mood.

You will also be paying attention to your mind, emotions, and even your soul; therefore, you may feel more emotional than usual.  Purification at this level can give you a deep, transformational look at your entire life, with the opportunity to decide what needs to change in your life.  Just as we must properly metabolize the foods we eat, we must also metabolize the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that we experience to avoid the buildup of toxic waste in our minds.  These symptoms can be relieved by taking a long walk, talking with a friend, getting a massage, or writing down how you feel.*

Overeating and Health

You can’t pick up a magazine, turn on the television, or engage in conversation these days without noticing some reference to the subject of eating, weight loss and weight management, or their relationship to health.  A strong and growing body of research suggests that our society as a whole, eats too much, eats too much of the wrong kinds of foods, and fails to get adequate exercise.  All of this weight-related scrutiny has led to a plethora of dieting fads, weight-reduction regiments and “diet foods.”

Unfortunately, the focus for the need to cut back on caloric intake is still greatly influenced by the number on the scale, the size of clothing we wear, or how we look.  Nevertheless, of far greater importance is the effect of weight on overall health.  When we eat more than our bodies use, we begin to gain weight.  Excess weight can lead to problems with our skeletal system and increase our risk for cancers and heart disease.  Excess weight can also accelerate the aging process.

Excuses to Keep Eating Too Much

Statistics reveal an increasing trend of obesity in our society – even among our children.  While we live in an age of global communication and growing health awareness, most of us continue to weigh too much and move too little.  We say we don’t have time to exercise.   We say we’re stressed out, lonely, frustrated, tired, depressed, have too many social commitments that involve food, don’t’ know which diets work, find the multitude of diet literature out there confusing, or any other reason we can find to justify eating too much.  However, continuing to make excuses for why we eat too much, rather than taking control of the situation may potentially jeopardize our health and affect our quality of life.

No More Excuses For Eating Too Much

One of the easiest, safest, and most cost-effective ways to reduce your caloric intake is to do just that – cut your normal portion sizes in half for 21 days.  For example: let’s say you have a large glass of orange juice, two eggs, and two pieces of toast for breakfast.  You don’t have to cut out the eggs – eggs are rich in essential macro- and micronutrients.  But your body will get plenty of nutrients from one egg, instead of two.  Do the same thing with the bread.  While this is not the “ideal” purification diet, it is realistic and will help give your detoxification organs a break from the demands of digestion.  To help make the transition easier, i.e., prevent those hunger pangs; try to incorporate 1-2 SP Complete™ supplement shakes into your daily regime as well.  They offer you a nutrient-dense balanced source of ingredients that will help to satisfy you as well as support your body’s detoxification organs.  Additionally, follow the recommended clinical purification program to support the whole process.

If you are dining out, either look for something that appeals to you that is listed as a smaller portion, for example, a half of a sandwich instead of a whole one, or take half of it home.  Should you cut out ice cream cone?  Get a dish of ice cream and forego the cone.  The idea is to cut back, and cut back consistently.  Don’t eat a huge breakfast and then skip lunch.

Reduce everything that you normally eat by half and try to drink at least 1-2 SP Complete™ supplement shakes (taken BEFORE your regular meal is best) per day.  Drink a least eight glasses of water every day and remember to exercise regularly.  You don’t have to run 30 minutes a day to improve your health.  Find something you enjoy doing and do it as least three times per week.  This can include gentle movements to your favorite music, a 20-minute walk with a good friend, or an easy hike through nature.

Cleansing and Revitalizing Your Digestive Tract

In order to give your digestive system a break and help your body cleanse itself from the inside out, remove the following food items from your diet for a full 21-day period.  This will give your body a rest from digestive irritants.  If you choose to reintroduce these foods into your diet upon completion of your program, you should do so one at a time so you will be able to tell if you are sensitive to a particular food by the way that you feel – your body’s natural wellness indicator.  While on a purification program it is important for you to supplement your diet with nutrient dense foods and herbs that support all of the organs in your body that take part in the purification process.

What Food You Should Stop Eating

For the next three weeks,

Refrain from eating any:                                          Why:

Wheat (only exception, organic sprouted wheat berries) – Common allergen.

Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc) – Common allergen.

Hydrogenated oils – Difficult to digest and congests the liver.

Refined sugars – Empty calories and decreases immune function.

Caffeine (coffee, non-herbal iced tea, etc.) – Puts added stress on the liver and nervous system.

Alcohol (beer, wine, hard liquor, etc) – Puts added stress on the liver.

Carbonated beverage – Increases gas and alters pH.

Eggs – Common allergen.

Chicken or red meat (If you eat any meat, eat only wild game or hormone-free lamb) – can be high in estrogens, antibiotics, and other chemicals; dense proteins can be hard to digest.

Peanuts – Common allergen

Shellfish – Common allergen

What Foods You Can Eat

Become a smart shopper.  Read labels and make sure you buy only those foods that contain none of the ingredients mentioned in the list above.  For example, when you are choosing a type of bread, make sure that both wheat and refined sugar are not listed in the ingredients.  Any other type of grain is acceptable.  The easiest way to find the following foods and get a better variety is by shopping at a natural foods store.

Buy:

Only distilled, filtered, or spring water.

Fresh fruits and vegetables – organically grown, if possible.

Brown, Thai, wild, or basmati rice.

Non-medicinal herbal or green teas.

Bottled fruit and vegetable juices made from organically grown sources.

Unheated, cold-pressed flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or an oil blend that is high in essential fatty acids.

While this is not an exhausted list, here are some names of smaller companies that are well recognized for high-quality organic foods.

Pasta – Eden®, Westbrae Natural®, DeBoles®, Mendocino Pasta Co.®

Juices – Santa Cruz Organic®, R.W. Knudsen Family®, Mountain Sun®, Tree of Life®

Flour – Shiloh Farms®, Arrowhead Mills®

Oils – Flora®, Spectrum Naturals®, Barlean’s Organic Oils®, Omega Nutrition®

Bread – Avarado St. Bakery®, Shiloh Farms®, Breads For Life®, Garden of Eatin’®, (Ezekiel bread), French Meadow®, Nature’s Path

Directions

One of the best ways to rid your body of toxins, rest your digestive system, and promote total body cleansing and rejuvenation is to remove digestive irritants from your diet for a full 21-day period.  In addition, supplementing your diet with nutrient dense supplements and herbs from Standard Process can support the organs in your body and take part in the purification process.  While this appraoch requires a strong commitment and willingness to endure temptation and occasional feelings of hunger and weakness, your reward will be a healthier, more energetic, and happier you.  This positive change will encourage a healtheir lifestyle.*

What to Eat – Week One

For the first 7 days of your purification regimen:

Eat only raw fruits and vegetables.

Drink a SP Complete™ supplement shake (see recipe below) before 2-3 of your daily meals of fruits and vegetables.

Wheat Grass Juice or SP Green Food™

The modified fast removes digestive-system irritants and replaces them with food sources that are cleansing, soothing, and high in chlorophyll content.  Wheat grass, for example, is a natural grass that can be pressed and consumed to aid in cleansing and relieve gastric distress.  It is also loaded with vital nutrients.  Wheat grass contains vitamins A and B12, a protein content as robust as many meats, and digestive enzymes.  Depending upon the soil it comes from, wheat grass can hold as many as 90 plus minerals.  Wheat grass is highly concentrated and as little as one ounce will produce a beneficial effect.  You may experience a mild reaction to wheat grass juice (diarhea, headache, or other symptoms), but these symptoms usually occur only a few times during a purification process, and can be a sign that you detoxification mechanisms are kicking in.  Talk to your health care professional if you are interested in trying wheat grass.

Drink two ounces of freshly juiced wheat grass  daily.  Caution:  As is often the case, more is not better.  Stick with the two-ounce serving size because as mentioned above, wheat grass is very concentrated and taking more will not increase efficacy.  Tip:  If wheat grass juice is not available to you, subsitute with SP Green Food™ from Standard Process (place aproximately 2.5 grams of powder – usually equates to about 7 or 8 capsules – in 8 ounces of water.

What to Eat – Weeks Two and Three

For days 8 through 21:

Eat raw fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted grains, and raw almonds and sesame seeds soaked and rinsed in distilled water – soak for at least six hours or overnight in the regrigerator, then rinse with distilled water.

Drink a SP Complete™ supplement shake before 2-3 of your daily meals of the above food.

Continue drinking two ounces of wheat grass juice each day, or substitute with SP Green Food™ (place approximately 2.5 grams of powder – usually about 7 to 8 capsules – in 8 ounces of water).

Remember:  Eat only the foods listed in each seven or fourteen-day period – no substitutions.  This diet is specifically formulated to offer the greatest purification benefit in tandem with optimal nutrition.

Shopping Tips

Become a smart shopper.  The easiest way to find the following foods and get a better variety is by shopping at a natural foods store.

Maintain Good Nutrition And Hydration During The Purification Process

Throughout your first 21-day detoxifying regimen, make sure you take the recommended nutritional supplements to ensure adequate supplies of all essential nutrients.  Drink at least eight full glasses of distilled, filtered, or spring water every day.  Water is involved in almost every bodily process, is the primary vehicle for distributing nutrients throughout the body, helps maintain normal body temperature, and transports waste material out of the body.*

THE REENTRY PHASE AND CONTINUATION TO DAY 60 AND BEYOND…

Your program was designed to cleanse your entire body from internal and external toxins and give your digestive system a therapeutic rest.  Your digestive system will react negatively if instantly bombarded with all kinds of digestive irritants on day 22.  It is important to reintroduce solid foods slowly into the daily diet.  And, since your system is virtually “clean” from all food allergens at this point, it is an excellent time to assess foods your body finds mildly irritating.

Remember:  Report any adverse reactions to your health care professional.  He or she will be able to tell you whether you are feeling a normal reaction.

Suggested Reentry Schedule

You may have thought throughout the past 21 days that you just could not wait to sink your teeth into a nice greasy cheeseburger, a chocolate éclair, or any type of food you have always considered you could not live without.  Nevertheless, once your body is accustomed to living without all of these digestive irritants, the carvings for them subside proportionately.  As you reintroduce certain foods into your diet, you will be able to tell within a couple of days which foods irritate your digestive system.  You will then be able to either cut down on the offenders or delete them from your diet completely, so you can feel much better all of the time.

Eat raw fruits and some steamed vegetables the first day of your reentry phase.

Add a small amount of white rice to your diet on day two of your reentry phase.

If desired, add wild game, lamb, and legumes on day three of the reentry.

Beginning on the fourth day of your reentry phase, you are ready to begin allergen testing.  It takes apprximately three day to monitor your body’s reaction to a certain food.  If you can tolerate it after three days, you can continue to eat the food.  If you find you just don’t feel right, it is time to decide whether or not to include the food in your diet.

Try Eating:

Dairy products for three day  and see how you feel.

Wheat products for three days and see how you feel.

Sugar products for three days and see how you feel.

Eggs for three days and see how you feel.

Corn products for three days and see how you feel.

Soy products for three days and see how you feel.

Peanuts for three days and see how you feel.

Now you have a clear indication from observing your body’s reactions to these specific foods, which foods it can digest easily and which food irritate your gastrointestinal tract.

Summary

Every person who participates in the purification process will have a unique experience because every person is different.  The amount of effort that you put into your recommended program directly correlates with how much you will get out of it.  Please discuss any questions that you may have with your health care professional.  If you would like an discussion of the clinical purification process, it is suggested that you read the book Clinical Purification™; A Complete Treatment and Reference Manual by Gina Nick, Ph.D., N.D.